The Windermere Fells

Saturday 23rd December 2017

The weather continued to deteriorate on the last day of my Christmas holiday in the Lake District with low cloud and mist afflicting me once again, so as I caught the bus from the Ambleside Youth Hostel to the Windermere railway station I was not hopeful for much of a walk. My train wasn’t going to leave until the afternoon so I had to find something to do in the meantime and I had decided that to pass the time I would nip up several of the small hills that lie on the eastern slopes of the lake, Windermere. The first fell was one that I had already climbed twice before, most recently last Christmas in weather that was no better than now. To try and come up with a different route I walked up the main road for a short distance before taking a path that heads north into Common Wood on a permissive path. After negotiating a number of junctions I eventually found myself at the top of Orrest Head where there was absolutely no view whatsoever, which is disappointing as the views from this point are legendary stretching up and down the length of Windermere, while beyond the lake the Lakeland Fells, particularly the Langdale Pikes and the Coniston Fells, entice the first-comer towards the many wonders and splendid beauty of the Lake District.

I had none of that on this occasion so I headed north off the summit down to a junction of paths, and after nipping over a low grassy ridge I turned back towards the south passing through pleasant woodland and returned to the railway station. My walk to my next outlying fell did not start well as I made my way through a housing estate and it didn’t improve until I eventually emerged from this domestic nightmare into a rising field richly planted with trees and a clear view ahead of me towards a peak on the murky horizon. Heading up the saturated ground of this park-like area I came to a gate that leads out onto the open fell where School Knott was peeking out from amongst the clouds. I could just about see two tops ahead of me so striking a course up the grassy terrain I made my way up vague paths and by the time I reached the top there were no views as the clouds had descended once more completely enveloping the fell. Wainwright mentions two other tops near School Knott, so despite not being able to see them I took a bearing and headed down the slopes and upon passing through a gate I suddenly came across a pretty tarn.

The clouds seemed to have lifted once more at this point and were providing me with some relatively good views down the valley and around Schoolknott Tarn, which was looking quite tranquil and blissful in its bubble of clear air away from the clouds. Crossing the outlet of the tarn I entered another area of open fell and by the time I reached the top of Grandsire the clouds had lifted so much I now, finally, had a view all the way down to Windermere. School Knott was also clear of clouds and I could see over Schoolknott Plantation to Windermere town lying at the foot of Orrest Head. There even seemed to be a bit of sunlight shining upon Windermere, which raised my hopes that the day would further improve, but unfortunately this was all I was going to get and as I made my way down the southern slopes of Grandsire the clouds descended once more and now it actually began to rain. After briefly joining up with the Dales Way I turned left to climb an unnamed 247 metre top that is the third summit in the School Knott chapter of Wainwright’s guide to the Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

The weather was quite drizzly at this point so I had no hesitation in turning around as soon as I reached the top and came back down the hill to rejoin the Dales Way. This long distance trail directed my steps for the next mile as I turned south to Cleabarrow, past Low House Farm and Matson Grange until I eventually reached Brantfell Farm. I had now almost reached Bowness and the end of the Dales Way, but immediately after passing Brantfell Farm I turned left to climb Brant Fell and by now it was properly raining. I did not want to linger at the top in these wet and windy conditions so I immediately turned back towards Bowness and headed down the slopes to the tiny viewpoint of Post Knott. The views over Windermere were so murky I didn’t stop but headed onto the path that took me back onto the Dales Way and soon I was in Bowness steeply descending the narrow streets to reach the crowds of tourists on shores of Windermere.

These three outlying fells did not really engage my interest, though this may have partly been due to the poor weather and the lack of a view. However, even in good weather I’m not sure whether these tops could really compete against the great fells that could have been seen beyond the lake if the weather was better. The Windermere Fells are too grassy and do not have enough rock to really inspire me, though in the wet weather I don’t think anything could have awoken my interest. I suppose this was a fitting end to a week in the Lake District when the weather was never particularly good and had gradually worsened as the week progressed. However on the other hand, I loved being back in the Lake District again after, apart from a very brief visit in the summer, almost a year’s exile. I had been desperate to return and it has so awakened my love of the Lake District that I am keen to be back as soon as possible.